“Weapons from the entire world market”
Scholz announces purchasing offensive for Ukraine
March 15, 2024, 5:12 p.m
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Ukraine continues to massively appeal for support in the war against Russia. With France, Poland and Germany, the three most important European supporters are forming a new alliance when it comes to arms procurement. The necessary change should also come from profits from frozen Russian assets.
The West wants to buy weapons worldwide in the future to support Ukraine, which is being attacked by Russia. From now on, even more weapons will be procured for Ukraine – “on the entire world market,” said Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin after consultations with French President Emmanuel Macron and Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk. “That’s a good improvement.”
Secondly, the production of military equipment will be expanded, including through cooperation with partners in Ukraine. And thirdly, a new coalition for long-range rocket artillery will be formed within the framework of the Ramstein format.
The EU will also expand its aid and training mission. Windfall profits from Russian assets should also benefit Ukrainian defense. “We will use windfall profits from Russian assets frozen in Europe to financially support the purchase of weapons for Ukraine,” Scholz announced.
It was the first meeting at the top level of this so-called Weimar Triangle since June 2023. The talks took place almost three weeks after the memorable Ukraine conference in Paris, to which Macron invited around 20 heads of state and government and which resulted in a scandal. At the subsequent press conference, the President did not publicly rule out sending ground troops to Ukraine for the first time, which Scholz contradicted several times in the following days.
After the differences of the past few days over the possible deployment of Western ground troops, Macron emphasized that there would be no solo efforts: “We are willing. We are decided.” The three governments would do everything and for as long as necessary “so that Russia cannot win this war.” At the same time, the French President emphasized that they did not want any escalation. “That also means that we have to stay united.”